Verisign to Raise .com Domain Wholesale Price to $10.97 on November 1
Verisign announced that starting November 1, 2026, the wholesale price for .com domain registrations and renewals will increase from $10.26 to $10.97, an increase of approximately 7%. An additional ICANN transaction fee of $0.20 will raise the registrar's cost floor to about $11.17.
This adjustment was announced in April and is the first allowed increase in the current six-year pricing cycle. The contract stipulates that a maximum increase of 7% is permitted each year during the last four years of the cycle, potentially bringing the wholesale price close to $13.42 by the end of the cycle.
Approximately 166 million .com domains are affected. Registrars add service fees and profits on top of the wholesale price, resulting in retail prices that exceed the floor price; some platforms have announced or will adjust retail prices. Users can renew for multiple years (usually up to 10 years) before November 1 to lock in the current price.
The last wholesale price increase occurred in September 2024, rising from $9.59 to $10.26. No increase was allowed in 2025. Funds flow from domain holders to Verisign and ICANN, while registrars decide whether and how to pass on costs to end users.
Source: Public Information
ABAB AI Insight
As the operator of the .com registry, Verisign adjusts wholesale prices based on its registration agreement with ICANN. In the previous cycle, multiple increases were made up to the limit, and this cycle allows the first 7% increase starting from November 2026. The path transitions from a price freeze period into periodic increases.
In terms of capital flow, the wholesale price directly constitutes the cost for registrars, while end prices are determined by each registrar based on this cost. The strategic motive is to maximize revenue within the contractually allowed limits, while the multi-year renewal mechanism allows users to lock in prices in advance, hedging against future increases.
Similar cases involve periodic price adjustments for other top-level domains under registration agreement frameworks. The current phase is the initial increase of a new cycle, with further increases still possible in subsequent years.
Essentially, this involves a transfer of pricing power and cost transmission. The registry raises the wholesale price within the limits set by the contract, with the mechanism being to first pass costs to registrars, who then decide whether to pass them on to end users, while also providing multi-year locking as a buffer.
ABAB News · Cognitive Law
The wholesale price increased by $0.71; retail price depends on the registrar.
Renew for multiple years before November 1 to lock in the current price.
The contract allows for four consecutive years of increases; this is only the first year.